Bars outperformed pubs, restaurants in like-for-like sales during festive season

The eat and drink out sector posted a collective like-for-like sales growth of 2.5% year-on-year in the six-week holiday season.

During the festive season, bars had outperformed pubs and restaurants with a like-for-like sales growth of 3.9% compared in 2018, based on the latest CGA’s Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

The new benchmark report highlighted that the eat and drink out sector had collective like-for-like sales growth of 2.5% year-on-year in the six-week holiday season.

Restaurant chains’ like-for-like sales grew by 2.3% in the same period, whilst managed pub and bar groups were up 2.7%.

Drink-led pubs slightly outdid its food-led counterpart as it saw 2.4% sales increase in contrast with the latter’s 2.2% sales growth.

“With consumer confidence finally improving, brands will look to carry this sales momentum into the New Year by capitalising on the trends for veganuary and alcohol alternative drinks without resorting to heavy discounting,” RSM head of leisure and hospitality Paul Newman commented on the findings.

“This year, we are starting to see cautious confidence in the market although expect that any uplift in trade and consumer confidence will be steady rather than spectacular,” Coffer Corporate Leisure managing director Mark Sheehan added.

Moreover, total sales over the festive period, including the effect of new store openings, went up 5.4% year-on-year.